Unlock Your Career Playbook
Join us for an engaging talk with successful Notre Dame coaches: Volleyball’s Head Coach Salima Rockwell, Fencing’s Head Coach Gia Kvaratskhelia, and the Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Brock Sheahan ’08. Discover how their approach to building winning athletic programs – from recruiting talent to fostering teamwork, building high-performing cultures, and achieving excellence – offers valuable lessons to elevate your own career! Moderated by Ron Powlus '97, Deputy Athletics Director – Football.
Join the Live Event
Join the University of Notre Dame’s Alumni Association for our virtual series: Game Changers: Unlock Your Career Playbook, powered by IrishCompass and co-sponsored by Notre Dame Athletics. We invite you – regardless of career stage, industry, or profession – to learn from inspiring leaders.
Join us for an engaging talk with successful Notre Dame coaches: Volleyball’s Head Coach Salima Rockwell, Fencing’s Head Coach Gia Kvaratskhelia, and the Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Brock Sheahan ’08. Discover how their approach to building winning athletic programs – from recruiting talent to fostering teamwork, building high-performing cultures, and achieving excellence – offers valuable lessons to elevate your own career! Moderated by Ron Powlus ’97, Deputy Athletics Director – Football.
Engage with prominent alumni and University leaders who are changing the game and setting the trends. Each quarter, Game Changers provides access to accomplished experts who share insights into leadership, the marketplace, and important trends that are shaping our world. This series will be livestreamed with online Q&A.
The Game Changers series is open to all and free of charge.
Game Changers is brought to you by the Notre Dame Alumni Association and is powered by IrishCompass, the University’s official professional online community for alumni and students to network, access mentors and coaches, find jobs, and much more.
Ron Powlus ’97,
Deputy Athletics Director – Football at The University of Notre Dame
Gia Kvaratskhelia,
Head Fencing Coach at The University of Notre Dame
Salima Rockwell,
Head Volleyball Coach at The University of Notre Dame
Brock Sheahan ’08,
Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach at The University of Notre Dame
Meet the Moderator: Ron Powlus '97
In his role, Ron Powlus ’97 has oversight of Notre Dame Football’s administrative and operational functions. His main focus areas include budget, scheduling, facilities and non-coaching personnel, while also serving as the program’s main liaison to campus constituents and shaping the program’s strategic vision along with Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. Powlus also serves as the sport administrator for the Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse program supporting the team and coaches with administrative oversight.
Meet the Coach: Gia Kvaratskhelia
Gia Kvaratskhelia has led Notre Dame Fencing to six national championships since becoming head coach in 2014. A foil specialist and U.S. citizen by way of Georgia, he joined the Irish staff in 2007 and has developed one of the top foil programs in the country. Named National Coach of the Year multiple times, Kvaratskhelia has produced numerous All-Americans and NCAA individual champions. Prior to Notre Dame, he built Kanza Fencing Club into a national power. Known for his leadership and communication skills, he holds degrees from Georgian State Physical Training Institute and Tbilisi State University.
Meet the Coach: Salima Rockwell
Salima Rockwell, a four-time national champion coach and former three-time All-American setter at Penn State, is the head coach of Notre Dame Volleyball. Named to the role in January 2022, she brings decades of elite experience as a player, coach, and broadcaster. Rockwell previously coached at Penn State and Texas, winning a national title with the Longhorns in 2012. A former U.S. National Team captain, she is known for her leadership, recruiting expertise, and setter development. Rockwell is a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame inductee and aims to build Notre Dame Volleyball into a powerhouse of athletic and academic excellence.
Meet the Coach: Brock Sheahan ’08
Brock Sheahan ’08 was named the Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach at Notre Dame in March 2025 after two seasons as associate head coach. A former Irish defenseman (2004–08), Sheahan previously led the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and the USHL’s Chicago Steel, where he developed 28 NHL Draft picks and won the 2021 Clark Cup. Known for his focus on player development, Sheahan helped several Irish players, including NHL signees, reach the next level. He’s also coached at Holy Cross and served as a volunteer assistant at Notre Dame. Sheahan brings elite coaching experience and a deep connection to the Irish program.